A Rare Delicacy
by Malva
Summary: Yako has done the unthinkable but Neuro retaliates in a way she did not expect at all. The universe may have tilted on its axis in the process. Sequel to “Next on the Menu”. /Revised/
1. The Intriguing Appetizer

**Disclaimer:** Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro is not mine. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes.

**Author's note:** First of all, thank you to everyone who first reviewed and/or faved my Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro fanfic "Next on the Menu". Initially I had planned to leave it just as a one-shot, but the response I got inspired me to write more and so I ended up doing this three-chapter fic.

Quite a while has passed since I put this story up, so I decided to revise it a bit. No big changes – just a bit of tweaking.

This story refers to a Neuro/Yako relationship dynamic that was established in "Next on the Menu". It will probably make more sense if you read that one first.

* * *

**1. The Intriguing Appetizer**

Things had gone wrong. Awfully, terribly wrong.

It had all begun innocently. More or less. The point was, that Yako could in no way have predicted (and therefore prevented) this turn of events. She was sure that the universal paradox of what had happened must have already caused a rift somewhere in space and time.

So, how exactly did things end up in this dire predicament?

It was a normal day at the detective agency. At least as normal as it could be, when the office workers consisted of a sadistic, mystery-eating demon boss, a second assistant (referred to as Slave Number Two) who was a yakuza and looked like it too, a secretary in the form of a sentient braid, and a high school girl (Slave Number One, respectively) who could eat more than should be humanly possible.

The difference that day was that the high school girl, one ever-hungry Katsuragi Yako, was in an extremely irritable mood.

Lately, Neuro had been dragging her to case after case. The "dragging" part should be taken quite literally. Of course, this alone wasn't the cause of her sour disposition. Being dragged or hurtled towards some destination was an everyday occurrence in her very specific line of work. And she privately acknowledged that she felt better knowing that he maintained a healthy diet. She didn't want him to weaken because he didn't get enough mysteries to eat. Even if he was a bastard most of the time.

No, the cause for her foul mood was different – exams.

Yako had barely passed them the first time, and this time had proven to be just as hellish. Despite starting to prepare earlier this time around, running around with a demon from hell and solving murder mysteries had taken its toll on the time she had been able to spend studying. Between dealing with whatever freak-case Neuro got her embroiled in and studying hard to pass her exams, she got little sleep. For the past week or so she had been walking around in a state of constant fatigue. When someone tried to shake her out of it, she was likely to snap at them. Though Neuro's usual abuse put a strain on her nerves, she had somehow kept from venting her frustration in his presence or, worse yet, _on_ him.

Added to that, Yako often felt the weight of his gaze. A couple of weeks ago, she had first caught him giving her a look that she could only describe as disturbingly ravenous. From then on things had proceeded into a downwards spiral. It was not only his gaze that she felt, but also what she had privately and sarcastically dubbed as "Neuro's way of showing that he cares". In short, Yako-abuse was on the rise.

At least the sensation of tense, apprehensive fear that this provided helped to keep her awake.

During the last few days it had been especially hard for her to keep from lashing out at him for one of his insulting comments. She had even been tempted to retaliate physically when he was testing yet another torture method on her.

Why hadn't Yako acted on that impulse? Because she knew she would end up with her neck not just being twisted but being twisted _off_. Not a pleasant future prospect, and with Neuro in the vicinity all kinds of violently gruesome scenarios always were closer to reality than desired.

However, keeping herself in check proved to be increasingly difficult today. She'd had only three hours of sleep the previous night and had handed in her last exam mere hours ago. One would have thought this should make her feel relieved, but she was still sleep-deprived and not sure at all whether she had managed to pass. To top it off, Neuro had been especially "attentive" upon her arrival to work.

Yako seethed in silence as she rubbed her arm where he had gripped and twisted it when she had entered the office. That armlock had made rivers of tears stream down her cheeks. And it wasn't like she had even been late or anything.

Testament to her bad mood was the fact she had managed to scare Godai of all people out of the office. He'd asked her something, she couldn't quite remember what, but she'd given him one look and the guy had gone pale. He had found reason to leave on an errand soon after.

Upon seeing Godai's retreat, Neuro had thrown out some remark about her mood. That didn't mean he really cared. His ability to grasp human circumstances had not improved. Not as if he made any effort.

For the past hour she'd been sitting on the couch and staring at the TV. Miraculously, Neuro had left her alone. Maybe he had found some mysterious site on the Internet that managed to hold his attention. Yako hoped that he would just leave her alone for the rest of the day.

All her efforts were concentrated on trying not to nod off. She could not remember ever wanting anything as much as she wanted sleep right then. Maybe that awfully expensive, fabulously garnished cake she had seen in one shop could compete... In any case, falling asleep with Neuro close by was just the same as saying "Take that black marker and write something utterly embarrassing on my face". No thanks.

So she fought to stay awake, even though she recognized it as a loosing battle. Yako's eyes were slowly closing and she was starting to slip into the realm of dreams.

Suddenly an arm reached around her neck in a death grip, and she was dragged to the left against a solid body. She released a shriek of surprise, eyes wide open and sleep forgotten. Neuro had appeared on the couch beside her. A pair of hard knuckles began rubbing against her head.

"Who allowed you to sleep, dishrag?" Neuro's almost cooing tone was drenched in imminent potential for pain.

Unexpectedly, she felt a surge of intense anger. He wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary, but this time her better judgement was teetering on the edge. If Neuro did not release her very soon, Yako knew she would end up doing something she would regret.

"Neuro, let me go!" she hissed, struggling against his hold. His proximity was really driving her up the wall for reasons she didn't want to analyze right now.

"You appear to have the ridiculous idea that you can demand anything from me, slave."

"Neuro…" There was a desperate warning in her voice.

Her irritation was liable to boil over any moment now. If he would just toss her over the couch like usual – anything to get away from him pressing against her back and making her feel weirdly itchy. Against her hopes, Neuro's grip became more suffocating as he instead drew her closer, the pressure of his knuckles against her scalp not lessening.

His breath ghosted against her left ear and his voice carried obvious amusement at her futile struggles. "You can't even escape."

Something in Yako's mind snapped like a string that had been drawn too tight. She gripped the arm that he'd wound around her neck, drew it closer to her mouth and…

Yako bit Neuro.

He was wearing only his vest, so there was no suit to obstruct her teeth from his skin. She half expected to be met with flesh as hard as granite (and in the heat of the moment she didn't give a damn that she could have broken her pearly whites). However, his skin was pliant enough to give way as her teeth sank in.

For a moment there was absolute stillness.

Yako felt a faint, sharp tang in her mouth. Neuro's blood. It did not burn her tongue like she'd half expected it to.

At that moment, common sense returned from wherever it had fled to when she'd decided to bite a powerful demon. Yako released the pressure of her jaw and tore herself away from Neuro, noticing that he didn't stop her. Obviously he had not yet recovered from this surprising turn of events.

But she did not get to gloat over being able to shock her boss from hell. Yako was in adrenaline overdrive. Alarms were ringing in her head, or was that the echo of future funeral bells? She could practically hear her own heart hammering in her chest, as if it was trying to make up for the rest of the life it wouldn't get to beat anymore.

However, Neuro still had not taken even a step towards her. He was unnaturally calm and that scared her.

He lifted his arm and looked at it almost thoughtfully. Twin crescents stood out on the pale skin and a trickle of red had gathered at one point, where one of her canine teeth had sunk in especially deep. She'd really chomped down in earnest, hadn't she? His gaze slowly rose to meet hers.

"You bit me," he said. His voice had an undertone that made her fear spike.

Something in his eyes had shifted to an expression that Yako had not expected but, as of recently, had come to recognize. In a slow almost languid fashion Neuro's tongue snuck out of his mouth and laved at the bite mark, licking up his own blood.

Yako couldn't tear her gaze away. A drop of cold sweat rolled down her spine. She felt very weak all of a sudden, like her legs were about to give out.

"I…I…" she stuttered.

What could she say? Was there even any use to say anything?

Then he grinned at her and she thought maybe there truly was no god. Only the devil who lured you and tempted you to then utterly devour you.

She realized that her brain was screaming something at her, and after a second more she finally registered the vital message: Run! Run for your life!

Neuro at last took a step towards her. Her body burst into action, operating on fear and flight instinct. Within a second flat she had grabbed her bag and was retreating backwards to the door.

"Very sorry. Will never happen again. Lost my mind. Sleep deprivation. Must go now." Her sentences were barely formed, her voice too high pitched.

Neuro was still regarding her with that look. To Yako he had never looked more like a demon than right at that moment, even though none of the features of his true demonic appearance were visible.

He took another step forward.

"Bye!" she squeaked, turned and fled.

She ran all the way home, as if the fires of hell were licking at the back of her feet. For all she knew, that could have actually been the case.

Neuro watched as the girl ran out of the office at a speed he had not thought possible for her weak human legs. Her skirt swung rather nicely.

He had not paid any attention to the unnecessary babble she had spouted just before her retreat. Triumph was pulsating through his veins.

Lately, his patience with her had grown very thin. Even after he had increased the amount of blatantly seductive brutalities, she had still remained stubbornly unresponsive. But today there had been an unexpected breakthrough.

In a very private corner of his brilliant mind he could admit that he was the slightest, tiniest bit relieved. He had come _this_ close to doubting that she actually had interest in him. Obviously, he shouldn't have even entertained such a laughable possibility. Naturally, in the end she couldn't resist him. She had probably held out this long because of that foolish thing humans had called "inhibition".

In spite of that, Yako turned out to be surprisingly bold. He hadn't expected her to bite him. Neuro passed a finger over the crescent marks of her teeth. He'd let her sink them into his flesh as far as she wanted. Of course, her human jaws were feeble and her teeth not sharp at all; he hardly felt any pain, but he revelled in the slight sting the wound produced. It was obvious proof that she reciprocated his interest.

Neuro would take care to slow the healing process in that area of his body. The mark would stay visible for a longer time.

Now that the necessary courting rituals were out of the way (after all he'd been raised to be a proper demon), things could proceed to the next stage. But she had run away. What a tease. No matter – he could easily find and catch her.

Neuro grinned in anticipation. If his deduction was right (and it always was), then she would run to her house. He had to commend her for her choice. Here in the office there was always the risk of someone interrupting and getting in the way of important things. Yako's house, on the other hand, was empty. They would be undisturbed there.

Neuro would have cackled in evil delight if he didn't feel that would be distastefully clichéd. Instead he donned his jacket and walked out of the office. Through the window.


	2. The Thrilling Main Course

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. No money made. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

**2. The Thrilling Main Course**

Life was beautiful, wasn't it? You appreciated it all the more the less of it you had left.

Yako slumped on the floor, propped up against the door of her room. She was breathing heavily and her legs were trembling from exertion. The moment she had stepped over the threshold of her door, she realized there was nowhere further to run. The adrenaline had faded away and she felt drained and weak, almost like a rag doll.

She figured that running had afforded her a few more minutes of having her limbs intact. She had been so focused on escaping sudden demise that she'd probably unknowingly broken a school track team record. Neuro hadn't caught up to her yet. It had occurred to her that maybe she shouldn't have run straight home – a place he was sure to find her quickly and with ease – but what was the point? Sooner or later (and she had her bet on sooner) he would find her anyway.

It wasn't like Yako thought he would actually kill her. But a lengthy stay at the local hospital seemed very likely. Prolonged bed rest somehow didn't even sound that bad. It was what would lead to the bed rest that sounded very, very bad.

Yako dragged herself upright and walked over to her bed. Her sweater felt too suffocating after her marathon so she took it off and folded it neatly. She took the bow of her uniform off as well and undid the first two buttons of her shirt, lifting the fabric off of her body a few times to help cool her skin.

As she sat there and felt the countdown ticking away, Yako contemplated Neuro. In particular the intense look he had given her after she bit him and the looks she'd caught on a few occasions before that. If she didn't know better she would say it was almost like…

She cut that thought short without mercy. She had sworn that she wouldn't go down that road. To care for his well-being was fine, to worry a bit for him was acceptable. She wasn't made of stone after all, and he had tossed her out of danger's way more than once. However, there were feelings that she permitted herself and others that she had defined as forbidden. She had buried those as deep as possible. They were fruitless, they were absurd and if the object of those feelings ever even had a suspicion she would be endlessly ridiculed.

Unfortunately, it was easier said than done. That was why today she had been so on edge when Neuro had been physically close. And just look where that had landed her - sitting in her room and awaiting her cruel fate. Sometimes she thought that she definitely would have been better off if Neuro would never have appeared in her life. Yet the thought made her ache with some strange phantom pain.

Annoyed with how emotional she was getting, Yako heaved a sigh. She fell back on her bed and stared at the ceiling.

Neuro stared back.

Her scream got stuck in her throat. And what would have been the point? No one would hear her and if someone did they couldn't help anyway. For a moment she just stared back silently, a classic deer in headlights look on her face.

She had the urge to sit up, though she had no idea why that would make any difference now. However, in an instant Yako found she was unable to move. Her arms were pinned to the bed by the steely grip of gloved hands. Neuro was looming over her in a kneeling position, eyeing her as if… She refused to misinterpret that look and give it any meaning besides the most violent one.

To the misfortune of Yako's sanity Neuro did something that blew her strict little rules and theories out the window. He leaned down, so close that she could feel his breath against her mouth, flicked his tongue out and licked her lips.

Yako blinked and stared at him as if he'd gone mad. Or perhaps she was the one who had lost her mind and this was one glorious hallucination. Or she'd fallen asleep the moment she landed on the bed and was having a dream that dangled the secretly desired right in front of her. This could not be real.

He was regarding her with a coolly speculative look. As if he was contemplating what he would like to do next. Panicked by the possible outcome of such musings she finally managed to say something.

"What are you doing?" she asked in a feeble voice.

"Why, I'm planning to take what has long been mine. You finally gave me permission today," he said, grinning almost from ear to ear. A frightening sight to be sure.

Yako felt like her head was spinning or the room was spinning – she wasn't quite sure which. What in the name of the 777 Tools of the Demon World was going on?! Had he just really done that? Had he just really said that? She wouldn't even dare try to wrap her mind around that "take what's mine" bit. She was sure her brain would have a meltdown.

The one thing she latched onto was what he'd said last – that she'd given him permission. What boggled her mind was not that she'd somehow given permission, but that Neuro, arrogant mystery-eating demon extraordinaire, would even consider needing permission for anything. So she stated the only question that her confused mind could come up with at the moment.

"Permission?" she repeated. She hadn't even managed a sentence but could you blame her?

"Surely even your below standard brain hasn't forgotten what transpired only a short while ago," said Neuro.

He showed her his right arm. When exactly had he taken his jacket off? She was sure he had it on when she discovered him on the ceiling. Either way, a bite mark clearly stood out on his skin.

"Oh," she said as if it finally made sense to her when in fact it made absolutely no sense at all. What exactly did this have to do with the aforementioned permission?

"Enough with the talking." He sounded quite impatient.

Next he did something she had thought could happen only in some absurd parallel universe. Neuro kissed her.

He wasn't holding back even one bit, claiming her lips as if they were the spoils of war he rightfully deserved as the victor. She was completely overpowered and managed only a muffled squeak when his tongue pressed past her lips and slid into her mouth without hesitation. Yako stiffened at first at the strange sensation of something warm and slick rubbing against her own tongue, gliding and caressing all around her mouth. Neuro did not relent however and she soon found that being kissed by a demon was something that she not only grew used to but started to enjoy. Maybe too much.

Her thoughts were becoming muddled, and logic was altogether absent. But her body proved all too happy to take over. Before she even consciously realized it, she was answering the kiss, engaging in the unexpectedly exciting slip and slide sensation. Soon she felt like her lips, her mouth, her whole body was somehow too tingly and itchy as if she needed to strip off her very skin.

At some point though she noticed that her chest felt too tight for other reasons – she was human after all and needed air to breathe even if the demon currently plundering her mouth didn't. With considerable effort she tore herself away and her gasping breaths were only in part due to a lack of oxygen. But her haze-filled mind wasn't given any chance to recover and question what was happening; Neuro had turned his attention to her neck – kissing, licking, teeth lightly grazing. As he suckled a spot just beneath her ear she had never before given any thought, some foreign, needy sound clawed its way past her lips. She felt like she was being engulfed, like she was starting to loose coherent contact with the world.

His hands were no longer holding her arms down, but there was hardly any need since she had at this point forgotten that she was supposed to stop and ask what the hell was going on. Yako barely registered at what moment Neuro's gloved hand had slipped under her uniform shirt. The feeling of him caressing her stomach, tracing along the waistband of her skirt made her toes curl. It was all so new, so overwhelming.

She released a pleasure-induced sigh and could feel Neuro grin against her collarbone. Smugly, no doubt. The bastard, the amazing bastard who was doing such incredible things…

Then Neuro's other hand slid up her thigh, under the edge of her skirt and further still...

It was as if some button in her mind had been pushed. The danger-to-your-maidenly-virtue button. It proved to be very effective.

Yako's mind suddenly rose out of the depths of blissful oblivion to be plunged back into reality and with it went her body. In five seconds flat she'd gotten away from her previous (very compromising) position and had scrambled across the bed with her back to the headboard.

She stared at Neuro. He stared at the space beneath him where he had her just seconds ago. There was an expression of almost childish disappointment on his face. She would have found it funny in any other situation.

He looked at her. "What is it now?" he asked, sounding annoyed.

Yako blinked. Quick, she had to say something.

"I d-don't have any e-experience with this," was what came stuttering out of her mouth.

She could have just died. Of all the idiotic things in the world… Why did this blushing virgin crap come out of her mouth right now? Wasn't she supposed to question the very fact that she'd been about to be molested by Neuro? The very same Neuro who up until now had shown interest in her only as a punching bag and a cover for his hellish origin? She adamantly refused to dwell on the fact that it couldn't really be called molestation if the other party was willing.

Neuro had reclined languidly on the bed. The look he gave her told Yako he thought she had reached an unparalleled level of density.

"I know. I was about to rectify that," he said, giving her a smirk.

Yako's mouth fell open. She could feel herself blushing from her face to her neck.

Well, what had she been expecting? "We don't have to rush things. Just wait until you are ready" or "Don't worry, I'll be gentle"? Right. Not that what he'd actually said made any sense either in the context of his usual behaviour towards her.

Was this some cruel joke? Struck by that thought, it suddenly started to make sense to her. She would definitely not put it past him to amuse himself at her expense in this way. Yako's eyes narrowed as she regarded him with wary suspicion.

"And just what are you trying to think up now in that lonely brain-cell of yours?" he inquired in a half-bored, half-irritated tone.

An insult to her intelligence. Great, good – this was territory she was familiar with so it helped her to calm down considerably. Yako gathered her scattered thoughts into some semblance of order.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked. It sounded like such a retarded question, but it was the only one she could think of.

"I already stated that you gave me permission. But I should have known that I have to repeat things twice to you before they sink in," he said disdainfully.

That again. Yako decided to try and piece this together. She had bitten him and he claimed that by doing this she had given him "permission" to... do what he had done.

She tried to recall the exact words he had used. That proved to be a bit difficult because what he'd done after had not been very conducive to coherent thought processes. It had been something along the lines of "You finally gave me permission". Hold on, "finally"? Did this mean that Neuro had wanted to do _that_ with _her_ for a while now?

Yako felt like she was close to having a stroke at her young and tender age.

"You mean that you had been planning to do, um... that with me even before I bit you?"

He was looking at her as if she had single-handedly discovered a new form of stupidity.

"Obviously," he said smoothly. "Took you long enough to give in though. Even for someone as slow as you."

"B-but I had no idea, no idea at all that you…" here Yako paused unsure of how to word it since this was Neuro after all. "…felt that way," she finished awkwardly.

She hadn't been able to come up with anything Neuro-like to describe his motivations as she didn't understand them anyway.

However, he was now looking at her with some degree of speculation. Was that a flicker of doubt in his expression? Astounding.

"Hmm, could it be that human customs differ so much from demon ones?" His question sounded rhetorical, but she could bet that the answer would be a resounding "yes".

A crazy theory rose to the surface of Yako's mind just then. The looks Neuro had been giving her, the increase in customary harassment... It couldn't be. Impossible, wasn't it? But her gut instinct told her that she was right and Yako had learned that she had very good instincts when it came to things that defied logic.

"Do you mean to tell me that this whole time you were f-f-flirting with me?!" Her voice barely managed to stay out of the shrill range.

He nodded. "That seems to be what you humans call courting."

She was _so_ incredibly proud of herself for not fainting then and there.

"C-courting…" she echoed weakly. Academics never were her strong point but she was positive that term had been out of common usage for at least a hundred years or so.

Then again Yako had no idea whatsoever what was or wasn't "normal" in hell regarding relationships. Just imagining the possibilities made her feel queasy.

"You are really slow today," he observed, "Even more than usual."

"Well, this is not a situation I was ever prepared for!" she exclaimed, feeling quite petulant all of a sudden.

How was she, an average teenage girl (with a healthy appetite and a crazy part-time job), supposed to know that her demon boss had been hitting on her not only literally but also figuratively? She had previously held conviction that Neuro having that kind of interest in her was as likely as the moon really being made out of cheese.

"Quite interesting that human courting rituals differ so much. You are indeed a strange species," he mused, absolutely ignoring her outburst.

Yako stared at him in disbelief. "It's you that's strange here!" was what she wanted to yell, but didn't for fear of sustaining damage.

Neuro may be a genius in solving mysteries and puzzles, but he was out of his depth when it came to the emotional side of being a human. How could he even think that humans would have the same or even similar customs as demons? She would have found this blind spot very amusing if she wasn't the one who had suffered because of it. Then again, knowing how "considerate" Neuro was there was no guarantee at all he wouldn't have gone ahead with the demon way of doing things, even if he had bothered to find out something about human relationships.

To top it all off, she couldn't deny that realizing what Neuro's actual intentions were made a treacherously happy feeling bubble up in her. It resisted all attempts to squash it down.

And now what? She had determined that this wasn't some joke or a hallucination. It was also clear that through all of the shock and confusion she was feeling embarrassingly elated about it.

Katsuragi Yako had never been someone to agonize over a decision. She usually made up her mind quickly and then stuck to the course she had decided upon. This time was no different. Considering the circumstances, it took her perhaps a moment longer to determine her choice but it was inevitable all the same. She wouldn't say no, she wouldn't delude herself into thinking that she even wanted to say no.

She could live with this, Yako assured herself. Yes, he was a demon and delighted in insulting and manhandling her and he had very little understanding of human behaviour. But for whatever crazy reason he wanted her, she would accept it. Even if this had the potential of coming crashing down on her in the most painful of ways she would still throw herself into whatever this turned out to be. This wasn't the kind of thing she had dreamed about when she was a little girl (namely, that she'd be like Gretel who got to eat a delicious gingerbread house), but Yako would do with it what she did with everything that life threw at her – she would make the best of it.

She looked up at Neuro and found that he had been observing her the whole time. He had also moved quite a lot closer. Sneaky.

"Seems like you have come to a decision," he said, his smooth tone sounding assured.

"I have," she said grudgingly.

She sure had a disastrous taste in demons. Not like she had any basis for comparison or even wished for it.

"Then that leaves only one matter to be settled." He sounded dangerously cheerful.

Yako felt a sudden chill. She was sure this wasn't good.

Neuro leaned in closer, minimizing the distance. She leaned back, trying to maximize it.

"You know, Yako, in a relationship what is received should always be given in return," he said. His deep voice sounded positively sinful and she hated how that made her heart beat faster.

"W-what exactly are you talking about, Neuro?" she asked, feeling on edge.

He showed her his right arm yet again. And there it was – that damned bite mark that was the damned reason for this damned situation.

Wait. Receive, return? It dawned on her all too quickly. Oh hell no!

Neuro was grinning at her and her gaze was inadvertently drawn to those pointy, very sharp looking teeth. You had to be kidding her.

"It would only be in the spirit of fairness," he implored in that velvet-like tone that just oozed danger.

She felt cornered. Even though she realized that agreeing would be ridiculous because, excuse her, but had she not been subjected to regular harassment more than enough to make up for one measly bite?

But she had bitten him hadn't she? And he had never done something that would bust her skin open. And she was obviously insane for even looking at it from that angle.

...

She was going to let him do it, wasn't she? Yako thought there was something seriously wrong with her. Then again, if she didn't agree to this voluntarily, there was nothing to stop him from doing what he wanted anyway.

Yako gulped. An expression of unholy glee was already appearing on his face. He could obviously tell she was about to agree. At last Yako gave a timid nod and fervently hoped that he wouldn't transform into his demon form and bite off her whole arm or something.

Neuro looked nothing short of triumphant and did not hesitate to push aside the collar of her shirt, exposing her right shoulder.

Yako's eyes nearly managed the impossible feat of growing to the size of saucers.

"W-wait, I bit you on the arm, didn't I?" she asked, pure alarm in her voice.

"You did not specify a place," he replied ever so smoothly.

She was panicking, but she doubted he would stop or change his mind either way. So she did the only thing she could do – she squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the inevitable.

Neuro bit down.

"Argh! Shit!"

Her body jerked. It hurt like a bitch and she could feel tears spring to her eyes. Surprisingly it stopped almost as soon as it had started. Neuro withdrew almost immediately after he'd bitten her. What an uncharacteristic show of mercy, she thought. A dull throb was left behind, pulsing hotly at the juncture of her neck and shoulder.

"You didn't take a chunk out of me, did you?" she asked weakly. For all she knew he could've bitten off half of her shoulder and she was just too in shock to have realized it yet.

"I wouldn't ruin my own property like that," was the nonchalant reply.

Yako knew she should feel some type of righteous "I'm an individual with rights" outrage at the "property" bit, but all she could feel was relief at his "wouldn't ruin" policy.

She didn't have much time to dwell on that though as a surprisingly cool tongue lapped at the fresh bite on her shoulder. She shivered, pleasure prickling where his tongue touched and travelling down to gather in an aching pinpoint in her abdomen. Ah, there was that sensation again – the sensation of her coherency waving bye, bye to her as it left for distant shores.

Neuro was quite enjoying himself. Her reactions were always so instantaneous and unguarded. Even now her eyes had slid shut and she was already pressing her body closer to his. Her unconscious responses were quite appealing. He sucked lightly on the unmarked skin near the bite and was rewarded with a breathy moan. She felt wonderful under his mouth – all smooth, warm and fragile.

Neuro pondered whether this would be an opportune moment to take it further, but determined from her prior reaction that patience would be more profitable in the long run. He was never impatient when it came to letting a mystery ripen to its best taste and in this he would wait as well. He had learned long ago that things that should be savoured shouldn't be rushed.

After giving that beautiful bite mark one last flick of his tongue, he drew back. Neuro reclined on the bed besides her, observing his handiwork from the best angle. Yako opened her eyes only after a moment, blinking as if she was returning to the real world from somewhere else. Her chest still rose and fell in heavy breaths. He quite enjoyed the stroke to his ego.

She glanced at him and blushed upon meeting his unabashedly appraising gaze. He found that despite its predictability her reaction did not fail to amuse him.

There was silence for a moment. She swallowed and straightened her shirt with slightly shaky fingers. His gaze never relented from her form.

"Neuro?" she inquired. Her voice had a huskiness to it that seemed to surprise even her.

Yako cleared her throat. "Now and before you were being quite, um..."

"Gentle?" he filled in her pause.

She gaped at him. "You have a word like that in your vocabulary?"

"My vocabulary in this language of yours is three times larger than that of a human who is considered far above average in intelligence," he informed her.

She gave an uncomfortable laugh. He had learned to recognize this as a sign that she feared he was about to dole out punishment.

He let the tense pause go on for a bit longer, enjoying her growing nervousness.

"The rules of courting are rather strict in hell," he finally spoke again and her relieved sigh did not slip his notice. "However, the nature of further relations depends on the preferences of the ones involved. I deduced that this approach would achieve the most favourable response from you."

And of course a more favourable response from her meant that he could end her state of inexperience all the sooner and thoroughly relish the process.

She was staring at him like he'd grown a second head. Not that that was impossible, but he was certain he had not facilitated such a change to his anatomy at the current moment. He'd admit to himself that not knowing what was going on in that head of hers (beyond the knowledge that there wasn't much in the way of intelligence in it) was as frustrating as it was intriguing.

"Your one-cell brain is thinking some nonsense again," he informed her.

"It's just that... I never expected you to take my wishes into consideration."

"This is not a common practice among humans? Even a master should take good care of a valuable slave," Neuro stated.

"How thoughtful of you," she said flatly.

"Of course if you would prefer things to be rougher I can certainly grant you your wishes as a good master should." He leered at her, claws appearing in an instant, barely an inch away from her eyes.

The look of panic on her face was ever so enjoyable.

"No, no, it's absolutely fine as it is! No complaints at all!"

Neuro retracted his claws, a sly smile curling the corners of his mouth. She was so easy to tease.

She breathed a sigh of relief. She seemed to be doing that a lot. He didn't mind - their proximity let her warm breath brush against his skin and it elicited a sensation he would describe as pleasing.

"I'm just glad I'm not going to be subjected to something... gross. I was almost expecting that demons would behave like the praying mantis, the female biting the male's head off afterwards or something" she mumbled under her breath.

"There is actually a type of demon like that in hell," he informed her.

The horrified look she was giving him right now was very rewarding.

"Of course the males of that species can reattach their heads at any time," he said.

"Er, I suppose that makes it alright then." She did not sound like she thought it was alright though. And she looked slightly green.

"Um, Neuro, does your type of demon have anything… special like that?" she asked carefully.

This could be entertaining.

"Why yes, we do," he said in all seriousness.

She stared at him with fearful apprehension. Very entertaining indeed.

"We," he paused for greater dramatic effect and Yako tensed, "make a nest."

She blinked.

"A nest," she repeated.

"A nest," he confirmed.

A lengthy pause.

"Unless you expect me to make one, I don't want to know any details," she grimly informed him.

He couldn't keep it in any longer – Neuro started chuckling. She seemed astonished for a second. It dawned on her a moment later.

"You! What kind of joke was that?" she demanded.

"One that only a wood louse would believe," he sneered. "Just because my demon form looks reminiscent of a bird doesn't mean I would behave like one."

She scowled at him then, but whatever else she had been about to say was interrupted by a large yawn.

"Ugh, it's catching up to me," she said tiredly and rubbed at her eyes.

Yako was obviously referring to her lack of sleep. Come to think of it, he wouldn't mind taking a nap himself. Neuro looked at her and found her regarding him with a speculative look.

He arched an eyebrow. "Speak."

"I wondered if I could...?" she hesitated to finish.

Neuro felt mildly irritated with this timidity of hers.

"Spit it out," he ordered.

She scooted closer to him. "Just try not to throw me across the room or anything, alright?"

Neuro smirked. "We'll see about that."

She frowned but seemed determined to go ahead with whatever that funny mind of hers had cooked up.

Yako lay down close besides him, facing him. After a moment of faltering she took his arm and put it around herself. When he did not resort to any violent actions, she relaxed and pressed closer to him. She then took his right arm and put it over her upper body, where it hung rather rigidly.

This urge of humans to keep contact in this way with their partner was foreign to Neuro, but it was not unpleasant.

"Could you hold me a bit tighter?" she asked despite her apparent embarrassment at the request.

He did, drawing her close to his chest, his arm now circled around her in a tight grip.

"Maybe a bit less tight?" she suggested in a strangled voice. "I do need to breathe."

He ignored that request for a few moments just because he could, but then at last somewhat relented the pressure of his arm.

"I suppose it will do," she said resignedly and nuzzled into his chest. "Try not to kill me in your sleep, okay?" she mumbled drowsily.

He ought to punish her for thinking he had so little control over his body and its physiology. He wasn't some weak-fleshed human. After all, that time in the hot springs he had great fun increasing the acidity of his saliva and then watching her desperately dodge the falling drops while he pretended to sleep.

However, Yako's breathing pattern informed him that as soon as she had settled in their current position she was out like a light. Well, the fact that she could sleep anywhere and in any situation was one of the very few things they would ever have in common.

He supposed the position she had arranged them in was a typical component of a relationship between human couples. It was strange but not unpleasant. Yako's presence against him did feel satisfying – small, soft, warm.

Neuro decided that he quite liked this position after all; even if she suddenly woke up and wanted to back away from him there was no way she would be able to do that. He had her right where he wanted her.

With that delicious thought Neuro closed his own eyes and dreamt of the Ultimate Mystery. As always no such dream was complete without Yako appearing somewhere along the way - tied up and dangling before him only to be pushed out of the way of his greatest meal.


	3. The Surprising Dessert

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. No money made. No copyright infringement intended.

**Author's note:** I decided to leave the Japanese terms 'sensei' and 'senpai' and not translate them. 'Sensei' is used to address not only teachers but also, for example, professionals such as doctors, lawyers, politicians etc. or other authority figures as well as artisans who have achieved a certain level in their craft e.g. writers. 'Senpai' is used to address senior colleagues or mentor figures, underclassmen address upperclassmen in this way too. You can find plenty of information about these and other Japanese honorifics on Wikipedia.

* * *

**3. The Surprising Dessert**

Another new day. Another bright and sunny morning.

Yako had slept the whole night through in her school uniform. She woke up to discover that she was enclosed in the iron circle of Neuro's arms. She felt ever so lucky that she hadn't been squeezed to death while she slept. And why had she woken up in the first place? Naturally, because Neuro was nibbling on her ear. Or maybe she could rather describe it as munching as more discomfort than pleasure was involved.

Bursting with false cheer (always a sign of imminent danger), Neuro informed her that she should get her ass out of bed so they could be on their merry way. He'd apparently caught scent of a new mystery. She informed him just as jovially that actually letting go of her would be conducive to her getting said ass out of bed. That is, if he didn't plan to get it to the bathroom himself.

Yako regretted her words that very instant. He did let her go, only to haul her over his shoulder, momentarily knocking the breath out of her. Then he proceeded to the bathroom. All the way there his hand was shamelessly resting on the ass that had somehow ended up being the centre of recent conversation. She was beginning notice that her hellish boss had a distinctly perverted side. Yako wished she could pretend to be all saintly and say she really and truly minded.

Either way, she was thankful to whatever heavens that when she begged Neuro to please wait _outside_ the bathroom while she showered, he actually complied.

As she was standing under the steaming stream of water her mind wandered back to the events that had taken place just yesterday. Even in her wildest fancies she would have never imagined biting Neuro in a fit of anger would end up… like this.

Yako winced as she felt a slight sting on her right shoulder as the water hit it. Oh right, he'd returned the "favour" yesterday, not to mention what other things he'd done yesterday. Yako put a hand against the bathroom wall trying to steady herself as her legs suddenly felt wobbly. The flush of her skin wasn't entirely due to the hot water either.

Her pulse was thundering in her ears. She couldn't believe how easily she had been swept up in the sensations Neuro elicited. If she hadn't stopped Neuro before his hand reached further under her skirt…

No, no, no! _Don't_ go there, she told herself adamantly. Yako shook her head from side to side as if that could somehow pull her mind back from its decidedly unchaste downwards slide.

She quickly turned the water off, got out of the shower and started drying off.

"If you don't want to be dragged through the streets in a state of undress, I suggest you get ready within the next ten seconds," an ominous voice rang from the other side of the bathroom door.

And then Neuro began counting.

Yako started throwing her clothes on at top speed. She knew better than to hope it was an empty threat. Neuro's threats were never empty.

The door burst open just as she managed to put the last button of her shirt through the appropriate buttonhole. He had the gall to look disappointed. Her growling stomach interrupted the moment.

"You have ten seconds to eat," he said.

That went better than putting her clothes on. No one could shovel down food like Yako could.

When they were finally going out of her house he of course used the opportunity to announce that they were in danger of being late for the meal and grabbed her by the head to drag her along.

"Didn't you say that a gentle approach would evoke a more favourable response from me?" she asked morosely, as her shoes scraped along the pavement.

"Don't confuse business with pleasure, Yako."

It just figured he would find a loophole that would let him continue handling her like a potato sack. They were almost all the way to his next meal when he finally got bored with dragging her and let go of her head.

Despite regaining the ability to move of her own free will, Yako found it hard to concentrate. She could hardly keep from blushing every five minutes as she remembered the events of both the previous day and this morning.

She still couldn't quite believe that Neuro was interested in her. In that way. Yako wasn't so naïve as to believe that all of it meant undying love was knocking at her door. Love was a far too human concept to apply to a demon from hell. But in the end she did not mind that. He wanted her and that was far more than she had ever hoped for.

A wry smile stretched her lips when she suddenly realized that what she had privately and sarcastically dubbed as "Neuro's way of showing that he cares" turned out to be just that.

Come to think of it, he was quite violent towards Godai also, wasn't he? Should she let the scowl-faced man in on the fact that this probably meant Neuro had some fond, friendly feelings for him (or at least the demon equivalent of that)? On second thought, the man had been traumatized enough as it was. Springing that kind of news on him would be entirely too cruel. Yako couldn't suppress a giggle as she imagined what kind of expression Godai would show if she did tell him.

Neuro looked at her, taking notice of her slightly evil-tinted giggle. Then he grinned at her in such a manner that it made her fear not only for her own virtue and chastity but the virtue and chastity of everything within general vicinity. Her face also achieved the shade of a ripened tomato. Damn, why couldn't she control her own reactions when she was around him!

By the time they arrived at the office where the crime had taken place, Yako had managed to get somewhat of a grip on her emotions. From the looks of it, some poor fellow had been poisoned. The police had already started gathering evidence and questioning suspects.

Both Sasazuka and Ishigaki were there too. Thankfully, Usui was nowhere in sight. That man's personality was downright nerve-grating. Only someone as calm and unfailingly loyal as Tsukushi could possibly put up with working for him day in and day out.

As usual, there was a short but intense moment of Sasazuka giving Neuro a look full of suspicion and Neuro looking back with a fake cheerful smile plastered on his face. Ishigaki, as was his wont, accused them of being case stealers. Sasazuka told Ishigaki to shut up and threw his latest anime collectible out of a nearby window. Then the older detective turned his attention to Yako.

"Hello, Yako-chan. Quick to arrive at the crime scene as always," Sasazuka said, but without even a hint of accusation in his tone. He even gave Yako that slight older brother smile that seemed to be especially reserved for her. He had always been surprisingly tolerant of her involvement in the investigations.

Yako returned his smile. "I just seem to have a sixth sense for these kinds of things, Sasazuka-san."

Sasazuka didn't say anything. Yako's smile became strained. Any moment now her head could have a painful encounter with the floor or the wall. And indeed, a hand latched onto the back of her skull in a familiar vice-like grip. She felt the claws beneath his gloves dig ever so slightly into her scalp.

"Yes, yes, sensei has very sharp instincts for things like this." Neuro's tone was falsely jovial. "It's the same as when she can smell a dumpling stand from a 500 metre distance."

"I see," Sasazuka said in his usual apathetic manner, regarding Neuro with a simultaneously blank and scrutinizing stare.

Yako felt relief when Neuro finally released her head. He really was particular about keeping business and pleasure separate, wasn't he? Inadvertently her mind wandered back to the pleasure part, some of which she had experienced first hand yesterday. Yako felt a blush rise to her cheeks when she realized in what direction her thoughts had wandered once again.

"Yako-chan, are you all right? You look a bit flushed," Sasazuka said.

Yako looked at the older police detective, slightly startled.

"I'm fine Sasazuka-san." She tried to will her blush into disappearing.

"Are you certain? This doesn't look like it will be a very complicated case, so if you feel a cold coming on then maybe you should go home and rest for today. Let the police handle it."

Yako hovered between gratefulness and panic. Sasazuka was so kind and it was so nice of him to care for her well-being, but if she didn't refuse him as fast as possible then any moment now she would be confronted with razor sharp claws situated bare millimetres away from her eyeballs. Her internal Neuro-alarm was already ringing. Indeed, she heard a sound that was reminiscent of a knife being drawn.

"I absolutely refuse!" she cried out then cringed when she realized how loud she'd been.

Sasazuka looked slightly askance and Yako immediately felt guilty for bursting out like that. The guilt was admittedly dampened when she caught the telltale metallic ring of claws being retracted behind her back. Now to try and smooth things over with Sasazuka.

Yako gave an awkward laugh, putting one hand behind her head in a gesture of embarrassment.

"Sorry if that came out too loud. I just absolutely want to solve this case. And thank you for your concern, Sasazuka-san, but there really is nothing to worry about," she said.

"Are you sure?" he asked again, looking slightly suspicious.

Yako could hear claws unsheathe.

"Absolutely! Er…that is to say, it is really quite warm today and I was in a hurry. If I look a bit flushed then that's the reason," she finished lamely.

There were several seconds of silence as Sasazuka regarded her with an unwavering stare and she gave him her best sunshine smile. Then he nodded as if saying "All right, I'll let it slide this time". Yako was secretly grateful. She could feel that Neuro's presence beside her had gotten less murderous. The situation diffused, Neuro ambled off to inspect the crime scene, leaving the talking with Sasazuka to her. She asked him about the case and as always he did not mind filling her in on the details, ignoring any protests from Ishigaki.

"Yo, Sasazuka!" someone's overly casual greeting interrupted their conversation.

They turned to see Higuchi Yuuya saunter into the crime scene. As always the police-employed hacker looked carelessly aloof.

"Don't greet senpai so disrespectfully!" Ishigaki barked as if he'd forgotten that the selfsame senpai had destroyed yet another treasured collectible only minutes ago.

"Higuchi," the chain-smoking detective greeted in his usual apathetic manner.

"Higuchi-san! What brings you here?" asked Yako.

"Oh, Katsuragi's here as always. Nice to see you too. Sasazuka called and asked if I could look at the victim's computer. Said it might have something to do with the case."

Out of the corner of her eye Yako saw one of Neuro's Tools of the Demon World latch onto a computer screen. Evil something or other, she guessed. It looked like virulently green pea mash spread over the screen, complete with multiple small eyes and mouths. Lovely.

"If it's you, then I'm sure you can figure out anything that has to do with computers," Yako said, trying to both distract herself from the unappetizing sight of the demonic tool at work and to delay Higuchi from going over to the computer.

"A compliment from the famous high school detective herself? Why, I'm flattered." The smile he gave her almost skirted on the borders of rakish.

"Don't mention it. It's just the truth, Higuchi-san." That Tool of the Demon World had thankfully done its job and was out of sight by now.

"Just call me Yuuya. We're around the same age anyway," he said easily.

"Um, sure… Yuuya-san. Then you should call me by my first name too."

It was only polite to return the courtesy, right? Sometimes she did forget that he was just a couple of years older than her. It was probably due to him being a detective already at his age as well as the confident way in which he carried himself.

"Say, Yako-chan, you do remember that we still have to go out for tea sometime," Higuchi said.

Somehow she felt that the way Higuchi said "Yako-chan" and the way Sasazuka said "Yako-chan" was distinctly different. She couldn't quite put her finger on it though.

"Tea?"

She tried to remember when they would've arranged that. Ah yes, there had been that one time when he had thrown out a remark like this. However, he had done it in such a casual manner that she had hardly taken it seriously.

"Yes, tea. I know an excellent tea house around this area." He was smiling at her in that slightly cocky manner of his, looking at her with undivided attention.

Yako knew that she had always been just a little bit slow when it came to these things. And no, she wasn't hereby admitting to Kanae's statement that she was beyond dense when it came to male-female relationships. That she hadn't been aware of Neuro's "flirting" couldn't possibly count. Far as Yako was concerned, not having noticed she had been the target of some bizarre demon "courting ritual" only reaffirmed her status as a sane human being.

However, now it did dawn on her that it looked an awful lot like Higuchi was asking her out.

Oh god, why now? Not that she wasn't flattered. Yako did find him attractive in a way, but there couldn't have been a worse time for this. She couldn't be interested anymore. Right now Neuro overshadowed any other male presence in her perception. If Higuchi had asked her just a few days before this… Then what? She realized that wouldn't have helped any, maybe it would have even made things worse.

Yako knew now (even if she could still hardly believe it) that Neuro had been interested in her for a while. Of course the demon had such a high opinion of himself he probably could not imagine her being interested in anyone else. Nonetheless, he probably wouldn't appreciate someone encroaching on what he considered his "property". But perhaps he would not care at all? Or maybe he would tear both her and the unlucky fellow limb from limb?

This was getting confusing and had the potential to have dire consequences. She had to decline the invitation quickly but politely.

"Er, you see, Yuuya-san…"

If she told him something like "Sorry, I'm already going out with someone else" there were plenty of nosy people present who would not hesitate to ask for details which would then result in her having to admit having... What was it that she and Neuro had? Yako just didn't feel like announcing it to the world when she herself wasn't even that sure.

This was quickly becoming too much for her. Yako had zero experience with these things. She had never had to refuse a guy asking her out. In fact, she had never been asked out, period. Talk about milestones of a teenage girl's life piling up. And what if she had grossly misinterpreted the situation and Higuchi just wanted to have tea as friends? Doubts stacked upon questions upon doubts.

"Sorry, but sensei is currently very busy and has no time for such trivial matters. And she doesn't like tea anyway."

Neuro had appeared right at her side. He had his usual good boy mask on but his gaze was boring into Higuchi. One of his hands gripped Yako's shoulder with a force that was far from tender.

Yako not liking anything that was edible or drinkable was a flimsy excuse at best. To everyone present it was rather clear the real message was "Back off".

Higuchi, however, didn't look like he was in a very obliging mood. He smirked.

"Really? I recall Yako-chan saying that she likes tea, especially the blend made by the secretary at your office," he said.

Neuro's eyes became a little more demonic. After the HAL incident, Higuchi certainly had to be aware that Neuro wasn't a normal human, but it did not look like he would retreat because of that.

They were staring each other straight in the eye now. Square off between demon and hacker. Sasazuka and Ishigaki were observing this with some interest.

Unexpectedly Neuro was the one to break the gaze. Higuchi was surprised too, judging by his confused blink. Yako didn't know what to think anymore. Added to that, Neuro's cheerful façade made a sudden return. For some reason this made Yako wary. She felt like he had something up his sleeve.

"Well, who knows in the end? Sensei sure has some strange tastes," the demon said breezily.

Higuchi frowned, recognizing the implied insult in those words. An uncomfortable silence fell and Yako concentrated on looking at the sleeve of her sweater.

The silence did not last long though.

"Why, sensei, you were right – it _is_ rather warm today," Neuro said in a deceptively light tone.

Consecutively he shrugged out of his jacket and folded it neatly over his left arm. This only made something on his right arm painfully stand out. Yako knew that she had been wise to feel wary. His devious intent was obvious to her now.

The bastard, he hadn't let it heal at all!

Neuro enjoyed the look of panic on Yako's face very much. All eyes were drawn to the telltale mark on his arm. He felt that not letting it heal for a while had been really worth it. Besides, she needed to be taught a lesson and he had to let the Higuchi brat know clearly whose slave she was. Two birds, one stone.

"Wow, that's some bruise you have there," Sasazuka's wimpy partner – Ishigaki, was it? – voiced what everyone else was thinking as they looked at the twin crescent marks which stood out on Neuro's skin.

Next Ishigaki of course had to ask the obvious question which everyone else already knew the answer to.

"Did someone bite you?"

Neuro gave an extra cheerful smile. Yako looked like she was steeling herself for whatever he was about to dish out. Ah, he would truly revel in seeing her reaction to this.

"Sensei likes to leave a mark," he pronounced happily.

The insinuation was about as heavy-handed as it could get.

Yako's jaw nearly hit the floor. She was staring at him in utter disbelief. That lasted for quite a few seconds before it started to fade. He watched with delight as her expression quickly transformed into one of outrage.

Pointing an accusing finger at him, trembling in fury and red from pure embarrassment, Yako blurted out the first thing that had floated to the surface of her mind.

"It's not like you didn't do it too!"

Deafening silence followed. You could've heard a pin drop.

Yako clapped a hand over her mouth, paling when she realized what she'd said and what that obviously implied. This, thought Neuro gleefully, was what humans called digging your own grave, wasn't it? She'd gone about ten shades of red within five seconds flat. Forget embarrassment, she was looking mortified. Excellent.

His little slave had perfectly fallen into his trap. Not only had she practically announced to everyone present that she and her "assistant" had a relationship, but she had also led them to believe that it was _that_ kind of relationship. Truly amusing.

He surveyed the general damage.

Sasazuka looked like the older brother whose precious little sister had announced that she was eloping with the resident delinquent. Higuchi who had been the unsuspecting catalyst of this was looking at Yako with an expression that was part disappointed and part... intrigued? Poor Ishigaki looked like his imagination had taken a dive into places that were far too dangerous for his young and innocent fanboy heart.

Neuro himself of course felt almost as satisfied as if he'd just eaten a particularly tasty mystery.

"Someone, please shoot me now," Yako muttered miserably. Neuro chuckled behind his hand, earning himself a glare from her. She looked quite tempting all riled up like that.

Sasazuka cleared his throat.

"Higuchi, why don't you go and take a look at that computer now," he said in a perfectly calm manner, as if something utterly shocking had not just taken place.

"Sure. No problem."

Just as the brat passed by Yako he grinned cheekily and winked at her.

Neuro contemplated whether he should send one of the more interesting Tools of the Demon World to Higuchi's place – just so that the hacker could have a little refreshing surprise waiting for him at home after work.

After Higuchi was gone, Sasazuka looked at the strange pair for a moment, his gaze slowly switching back and forth between them. Yako stood tense, but Neuro couldn't have cared less what the human detective thought. With one last look directed at Yako, the older man gave a sigh that suspiciously sounded like defeat and left, dragging the still stunned Ishigaki behind him.

Yako felt like she could burst at the seams she was so pissed off.

"Are you angry?" Neuro asked.

The damn bastard sounded so very amused. Really, she shouldn't have expected anything less.

"Angry?" she hissed. "Try boiling mad! I wish I could say I can't believe you did that, but I know you too well by now!"

She glared at him. His grin only widened.

"Argh! Why did I even agree to this?" she asked. The question was meant to be rhetorical but she expected him to answer anyway and utter one of his usual master-slave theories.

Instead Neuro leaned closer and put a hand on her shoulder. The fact that his hand wasn't exerting the usual amount of pressure immediately put her on edge. He regarded her with an intense look.

"Do you want me to remind you why exactly you agreed to be mine?" he all but purred.

Yako felt a blush rise to her cheeks even though she was sure she'd exceeded her maximum quota for blushing in one day. Damn him, damn him to hell! Wait, that would be like sending him home on vacation. Why couldn't she ever win against him?

"No," she answered grumpily.

She had never been a good liar. Neuro loomed over her with a knowing smirk.

"Well then, I think we will solve this case quickly. I can already taste it on the tip of my tongue," he delivered his usual line.

However, as he did so he was looking straight at her.

She cursed him and herself for the shiver that he'd elicited from her with that. Despite everything, despite him being insufferable and incredibly arrogant and sadistic to boot Yako couldn't help it. She gave him the most reluctant nod in the history of reluctant nods. Or that's what she tried to convince herself of anyway.

Upon that his grin stretched wide enough to fully expose his sharp-looking teeth for a moment.

"Splendid!" He grabbed her and flung her towards the middle of the crime scene. "Time to point out the criminal, sensei!"

From where she had landed Yako gave a slightly pained smile and sighed. She knew she was all kinds of crazy for doing this. But what made her truly insane was the fact that she didn't regret it, not even for a moment. At least she could console herself with the fact that she had met the perfect match to share all her loose screws with.

Once again she found herself pointing her finger at someone who thought he'd had it all perfectly planned out. But she knew better.

"The criminal is you!"

There was not a mystery in this world that Neuro could not unravel. And for the times when the motivations of a human heart would need unravelling, Yako would be there. As long as he let her, as long as she could.

Besides, being "reminded" why exactly she had agreed to this madness didn't sound bad at all. Although it would be a cold day in the hot springs of hell before Yako ever admitted that out loud.

END

* * *

This was loads of fun to write, but it was also a challenge. A few times I felt like I was teetering on the edge with the characterization and writing something you hope others will find amusing is not easy either. Upon revising the story, I found that there wasn't much at all that I wanted to change, especially in this last chapter. I was mostly satisfied with it. That is a rarity for me. However, there are probably still some mistakes, but I did dry to correct any that I noticed.

Anyway, thanks a lot for reading to the very end. I hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
